Frustrated by a lack of informed and honest review websites covering a wide range of electronic music, I write them myself.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Norman Feller - Frameless Structure

Elektrolux: 2003

This was an album I could have written an early Random Review for back in my TranceCritic days, but chickened out. I didn't feel confident enough in my writing such that I could convey what I enjoy about Frameless Structure while staying somewhat objective about things. Of course, in this blog o' mine, I can fanboy gush all I like, but it's not like this album is that good. Probably I also shirked on writing about it before because I wasn't willing to take the scalpel to the only release Norman Feller's used his full name on, as it suggests more of a personal attachment on the musician's part; a magnum opus, if you will.

Here's the thing about Mr. Feller: he makes a lot good, quality music, but seldom anything I'd consider great. He's made a tidy career in the tech-house scene under his Terry Lee Brown, Jr. guise, yet never have I seen his name dropped when lists of classics come about. Even in his early hard trance days, many of his tunes were mint, but rarely the standouts on compilations of the stuff I’d collect (and usually only if it was in collaboration). Forcing myself to take this critical ear to Frameless Struture - which is quite good, let's be honest – would turn myself into a hypocrite, praising something that others more deeply immersed in dubby ambient techno and chill could easily point out as sub-par, as little more than 'beginner's music'.

And they’d be right. Ol’ Norman’s offering is quite simplistic compared to the likes of Ultimae’s output of the same period in time (though the mixdown’s almost as lush). Most of the track arrangements are straightforward with few unexpected twists in sounds and samples utilized. If you come to Frameless Structure for challenging chill-out, you’ve definitely come to the wrong place.

That all said, this is still one of my favourite downtempo discs to throw on. As with so much of Mr. Feller’s music, it’s easy to get into, and he always finds some charming hook or catchy rhythm that you’ll enjoy from start to finish. As Frameless Structure has its theme centered around cosmic soundscapes, you have plenty of spacey pads, ethereal voices, and dubby beats throughout, though Feller spices the formula up enough so each track sounds unique from the others. The titular cut, for instance, has an incredibly sparse beat, merely an 808 slow-break accompanied with clicky percussion. Further down the index, the dual combo of Energetic Dub and Orbital Slide show off ol’ Norman’s funkier side of beat craft; and whoo, that pure, cavernous dub sound of Tiefenrausch ...bliss.

I guess my ultimate fear is overselling this album. It has all the things that I enjoy in ambient and chill (goodness, is that closer Melting From The Inside ever gorgeous!), but I can understand why others may not fall sway to Mr. Feller’s charms. Frameless Structure’s a high recommendation though, if you’re looking to expand your chill-out palette.